Simple Lemon Soy Salmon with Buttery Pan Sauce

Salmon with soy sauce lemon butter sauce garnished with lemons and parsley on a rectangular serving plate.

Simple Lemon Soy Salmon with Buttery Pan Sauce

This lemon soy salmon is browned in a skillet and finished with a rich, buttery pan sauce that clings to the fish and is perfect over rice. It's my family's new favorite way to eat salmon and comes together in just 15 minutes! Serve with or without the crispy skin.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 355kcal

Ingredients

4 4-6 oz. salmon fillets 1-1½ lbs total
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon butter
2 lemons one for the juice, below, and one to slice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 large lemon
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into cubes

Instructions

Preheat a large skillet to medium or medium high heat. Season the fleshy side of the salmon with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the pan and add salmon, fleshy side down. Cook on each side for 4-5 minutes until salmon is cooked through and skin is crisp. Salmon should flake easily with a fork and have a hint of glossiness on the inside for medium, or be opaque for well done.
While salmon is cooking on the skin side, add thin lemon slices (from one of the lemons) to the pan. Cook lemons for 2 minutes per side. Remove salmon and lemons to a plate. If serving salmon without the skin (I love the crispy skin!), you can remove the skin just before serving.
Deglaze the pan with soy sauce and juice of the other lemon. Turn off the heat and whisk in cold, unsalted butter, a few cubes at a time, until sauce has lightened in color a bit and thickened slightly. You may want to remove the pan from the heat and return to the still-hot burner as needed — if the butter melts at too high a heat, it will become greasy and won't stick to the salmon. You may need to tilt the pan to collect all the sauce on one side in order to whisk in the butter more easily.
To serve salmon, drizzle each fillet with sauce, top with a lemon slice, and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve with rice and veggies for a complete meal!

Notes

If serving salmon with the skin, you may want to descale the salmon if needed. I find the scales don't bother me if the skin is crispy enough.

Consider doubling the sauce if you'd like to use it over rice or veggies like roasted cauliflower.

Nutrition